An impressive under-the-radar Big Ten team moves into the top ten of this week’s college football power rankings.
1. Georgia Bulldogs (3-0) | Last week: 1
Georgia started SEC play by total dismantling South Carolina, 48-7. The Bulldogs made things very difficult on Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks offense, while Stetson Bennett (320 total yards, three total touchdowns) keeps playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Stud sophomore tight end Brock Bowers had five receptions for 121 yards and was on the receiving end of both of Bennett’s touchdown tosses.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) | Last week: 2
Alabama allowed a second-quarter touchdown, and Bryce Young threw a couple of interceptions, but it was an overwhelming performance as expected in the 63-7 drubbing of Louisiana-Monroe. Bama was only one-for-six on third down, so that’s something to improve as the Tide receivers look to step up this season.
3. Michigan Wolverines (3-0) | Last week: 5 (+2)
Michigan looks way too dominant not to move up in the power rankings, and we’re moving them up a couple of spots to No. 3. J.J. McCarthy looks excellent as the Wolverines’ starting quarterback, but Jim Harbaugh was able to get seven different players in the game to throw a pass in the 59-0 win over Connecticut. Michigan’s defense limited UConn to just 2.1 yards per play.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0) | Last week: 3 (-1)
Headlined by quarterback C.J. Stroud (five touchdown passes) and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (two touchdown receptions), Ohio State put up 77 points and 763 yards of total offense against Toledo. The Buckeyes averaged an insane 9.8 yards per play in the victory, so they’re red-hot as they get set to host Wisconsin this Saturday.
5. Clemson Tigers (3-0) | Last week: 4 (-1)
Will Shipley (12 carries, 139 yards, two touchdowns) starred in Clemson’s comfortable win against Louisiana Tech, and DJ Uiagalelei again did damage himself on the ground with nine carries for 62 yards. The Tigers were thrown on a little bit on defense, but they’ll take a rushing yardage margin of 280-6 all day every week.
6. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0) | Last week: NR
Penn State has moved up eight spots to No. 14 in the AP poll, but we have them rising well into the top ten at No. 6. Winning at Auburn the way they did—forcing two interceptions and two fumbles in a 41-12 win—should be taken notice of. Sean Clifford is an experience quarterback that can help control games while working in tandem with a run game led by star freshman Nick Singleton, who has immediately become one of college football’s top big-play threats.
7. USC Trojans (3-0) | Last week: 6 (-1)
Fresno State battled a bit into the third quarter, but USC eventually separated for a 45-17 home victory to improve to 3-0 in their first season under Lincoln Riley. The ground game was a major factor for the Trojans, with Austin Jones (12 carries, 110 yards, one touchdown) and Travis Dye (11 carries, 102 yards, one touchdown) both doing damage.
8. Oklahoma Sooners (3-0) | Last week: 7 (-1)
Nebraska struck first, but they were no match for Oklahoma on Saturday. The Sooners won by five touchdowns and ran 84 plays on offense, converting 31 first downs. But the big story is obviously the defense, which is allowing just 10.0 points per game; they allowed more points (35) in the 2021 season opener than through three games in 2022.
9. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0) | Last week: 8 (-1)
It was a relatively slow start versus Youngstown State, but Kentucky took off with 21 second-quarter points in their 31-0 shutout victory as a follow up to the upset win at Florida two Saturdays ago. The Wildcats had a time of possession of over 38 minutes and overcame three turnovers to still shut out the Penguins.
10. Texas Longhorns (2-1) | Last week: 9 (-1)
Bijan Robinson (20 carries, 183 yards, three touchdowns) was the focus for the Longhorns offense, which ran for nearly 300 yards in the home win over UTSA, without Quinn Ewers. Hudson Card played well at quarterback, but Ewers is back at practice already and looks to have a shot to play against Texas Tech this weekend.